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Population density: Laos vs Rwanda compared

Updated on by Georank team

Laos has a population density of 89.5 people per square mile compared to 1,563 people in Rwanda. Laos has 328,051 sq ft of land per person vs 19,886 sq ft in Rwanda. Laos and Rwanda rank 150th and 13th by population density, respectively.

Population density is calculated as the ratio of population to land area. Laos has 0.1% of the world's population and 0.15% of all countries' land area, compared to 0.18% of the population and 0.02% of the land area for Rwanda, making the population density in Laos 94.3% lower than in Rwanda.

Population density by year

Laos
Rwanda

people per square mile

1x
Year Population density
Laos Rwanda
2026 89.5 1,563
2025 88.4 1,529
2024 87.2 1,497
2023 86 1,465
2022 84.8 1,433
2021 83.6 1,402
2020 82.4 1,372
2019 81.2 1,341
2018 80 1,311
2017 78.8 1,281
2016 77.5 1,251
2015 76.3 1,222
2014 75.2 1,193
2013 74.2 1,165
2012 73.2 1,137
2011 72.1 1,110
2010 71.1 1,083
2009 70 1,056
2008 69 1,029
2007 68 1,003
2006 66.9 976
2005 65.9 951
2004 64.9 926
2003 63.9 901
2002 63 882
2001 62 870
2000 60.9 862
1999 59.9 855
1998 58.9 848
1997 57.8 814
1996 56.6 704
1995 55.3 596
1994 54 713
1993 52.6 838
1992 51.2 807
1991 49.8 790
1990 48.4 774
1989 47 754
1988 45.7 732
1987 44.4 709
1986 43.2 686
1985 42 663
1984 40.8 641
1983 39.7 620
1982 38.7 600
1981 37.8 580
1980 36.9 562
1979 36.2 545
1978 35.6 529
1977 35 513
1976 34.4 498
1975 33.7 484
1974 33 470
1973 32.2 456
1972 31.4 443
1971 30.7 430
1970 30 418
1969 29.3 405
1968 28.6 393
1967 27.9 381
1966 27.3 370
1965 26.7 359
1964 26.1 350
1963 25.5 342
1962 24.9 334
1961 24.3 326

Data sources: World Bank | Agriculture & Rural Development (1961–2026, retrieved 2026-04-06); United Nations | World Population Prospects (2025–2026, retrieved 2026-03-10).

GeoRank.org/population-density/laos/rwanda | CC BY

From 2006 to 2026, population density in Laos increased by 33.8%, compared to a 60.1% growth in Rwanda.

In 2006, Laos ranked 152nd by population density and is 150th now. Rwanda was 18th in 2006 and ranks 13th out of 197 currently.

Share of urban population by year

Laos
Rwanda
1x
Year Urban population
Laos Rwanda
2024 39.6% 29.9%
2023 38.8% 28.9%
2022 38.1% 27.8%
2021 37.3% 26.1%
2020 36.6% 24.5%
2019 35.9% 23%
2018 35.2% 21.5%
2017 34.5% 20.2%
2016 33.8% 19.1%
2015 33.1% 18.2%
2014 32.7% 17.5%
2013 32.2% 17.1%
2012 31.7% 16.9%
2011 31.2% 16.9%
2010 30.6% 16.9%
2009 30% 16.9%
2008 29.4% 16.9%
2007 28.7% 16.9%
2006 28% 16.9%
2005 27.3% 16.9%
2004 26.5% 16.9%
2003 25.6% 16.9%
2002 24.5% 16.9%
2001 23.4% 16.5%
2000 22.2% 15.8%
1999 21% 14.7%
1998 19.9% 13.3%
1997 18.8% 11.8%
1996 18% 10.3%
1995 17.3% 8.82%
1994 16.8% 7.48%
1993 16.3% 6.4%
1992 15.9% 5.66%
1991 15.6% 5.36%
1990 15.2% 5.27%
1989 14.9% 5.2%
1988 14.7% 5.14%
1987 14.4% 5.09%
1986 14.1% 5.05%
1985 13.8% 5.01%
1984 13.5% 4.98%
1983 13.2% 4.95%
1982 12.9% 4.91%
1981 12.7% 4.87%
1980 12.4% 4.82%
1979 12.1% 4.75%
1978 11.9% 4.67%
1977 11.6% 4.55%
1976 11.3% 4.39%
1975 11.1% 4.19%
1974 10.8% 3.97%
1973 10.5% 3.75%
1972 10.2% 3.55%
1971 9.84% 3.37%
1970 9.48% 3.24%
1969 9.13% 3.14%
1968 8.82% 3.06%
1967 8.57% 3%
1966 8.4% 2.94%
1965 8.28% 2.88%
1964 8.17% 2.83%
1963 8.07% 2.78%
1962 7.98% 2.72%
1961 7.9% 2.67%
1960 7.85% 2.6%

Data sources: World Bank | Health (1960–2024, retrieved 2026-04-06).

GeoRank.org/population-density/laos/rwanda | CC BY

From 2004 to 2024, the share of urban population changed from 26.5% to 39.6% in Laos and from 16.9% to 29.9% in Rwanda.

Densely populated cities

Laos
City Population
Vientiane 948K
Thakhek 90.8K
Luang Prabang 53.8K
Rwanda
City Population
Kigali 1.75M
Ruhengeri 153K
Gisenyi 53.6K

Compare countries by 7 more topics

Population density in other countries

1x

Data sources: World Bank | Agriculture & Rural Development (1961–2026, retrieved 2026-04-06); United Nations | World Population Prospects (1961–2026, retrieved 2026-03-10); U.S. Census Bureau (1961–2025, retrieved 2026-02-08); Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2000–2019, retrieved 2026-02-20).

GeoRank.org/population-density/laos/rwanda | CC BY

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Data sources:

  1. World Bank | Agriculture & Rural Development (1961–2026, retrieved 2026-04-06)
  2. United Nations | World Population Prospects (1961–2026, retrieved 2026-03-10)
  3. U.S. Census Bureau (1961–2025, retrieved 2026-02-08)
  4. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2000–2019, retrieved 2026-02-20)
  5. Wikidata (2012–2024, retrieved 2026-02-08)

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